The present disclosure relates to a paper sheet handling apparatus configured to handle banknotes and other paper sheets.
Japanese Patent Publication No. S63-2428391 discloses a machine for depositing and dispensing banknotes installed in an automatic teller machine. The banknote depositing/dispensing machine includes first to third cassettes. Each of the cassettes stores banknotes introduced in the banknote depositing/dispensing machine, and the three cassettes are aligned in a front-back direction in a lower unit of the banknote depositing/dispensing machine. The banknotes placed in an inlet are transported through a transport path provided in the inside of the machine, and are sent to the cassettes. Part of the transport path is formed by upper surfaces of the cassettes and a transport path unit extending in the front-back direction above the three cassettes. The banknotes are sandwiched between the upper surfaces of the cassettes (the upper surface may be referred to as a transport surface), and a lower surface of the transport path unit (i.e., a transport surface).
International Patent Publication No. WO2008/047094 discloses a banknote depositing/dispensing machine which is placed in a teller counter of a financial institution, such as a bank, and is operated by a teller at a teller window. The depositing/dispensing machine includes 6 storage units for storing the banknotes. Rows of 3 storage units arranged in the front-back direction are stacked in a vertical direction, i.e., three pairs of vertically stacked storage units are arranged in the front-back direction. In the depositing/dispensing machine, a transport path is formed between the upper row of the storage units and the lower row of the storage units. More specifically, lower surfaces of the storage units in the upper row constitute an upper transport surface, and upper surfaces of the storage units in the lower row constitute a lower transport surface.